Glass feeder



April 20 1926. I 1,581,922

E. T. FERNGREN GLASS FEEDER Filed Jan. 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EVm'HTEENaBEN H/s 4r roamek.

E. T. FERNGREN April 20 1926.

GLASS FEEDER Filed Jan. 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR i/vac'yf'fizzvam April 20 1926.

E. T. FERNGREN GLASS FEEDER Filed Jan; 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet .5

INVENTOR my: [we]; Tflmzmezzv His I47'TOENEV.

p v or unsymmetrical Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

" TED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

nn'ocia 'r. FERNGREN,

OE TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE-OWENS BOTTLE CO'MYA'NY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO. i

. GLASS FEEDER.

Application filed January as, 1924. semi at. 689,021.

To all whom-it may com-em: I Be it known that I, ENOGH T. ,FERNGREN, a citizen of the United States, residin-g at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, havein'vented new and useful Improvements in Glass Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

- My invention relates to glass. feeding apparatus for the production of. individual masses or charges of glass adapted to enter the molds of a "glass forming machine. The invention relates more particularly to that type of feeders in which the discharge of glass through an outlet in the bottom of a container is controlled 'by a vertically reciprocating plug or regulator which also controls the shape of the suspended gobs of glass issuing from the outlet.

"In feeders now in use of the type above indicated, difiiculty has been experienced on account of'an uneven or one-sided flow of the glass through the usual outlet, owing to toestablish a the tendenc of the glass 0 of the outlet channel lea ing to the ed ncarest' the furnace from w outlet more remote from the furnace be comes comparatively cold and sluggish, resulting in an uneven other, or which contain cold streaks. and which, moreover, are more or less-distorted in shape. This lack of symmetry and unevenness of temperature and consistency, result in corresponding defects in the finished ware. i

A further defect in the chargesof glass produced by feeders of the type indicated is caused by impurities in the glass which is ordinarily drawn from the lower strata of glass in the feeder. This glass as it feeds toward the discharge opening, contacts with the refractory walls of the container and by its abrasive action introduces impurities into the glass and also produces more or less of an alumina of glass flux. This further tends toexert a drag upon'the glass flowing over one side or edge of the orifice,flcausing the extruded. suspended gob to. become warped in one direction or another.

An object of the present invention isto provide an improved and practical form of glass feeding apparatus which Willavoid means bottom of a well, the walls ich the glass is supplied, so that the glass at the side of the flow and producing charges or gobs colder on one side than thethe above objections and produce formed charges of glass symmetrical in shape, temperature and consistency. A further object of the invention is to provide improved for controlling the sha e of the suspended chargesof glass an 1 particularly for producing a charge having its lower on tapered to fit certain forms of molds for making narrow neck ware.

The invention in its preferred'form com prises a container from which the glass is discharged through an outlet opening in the 0 which project upward above the floor of the container so -that the issuing glass is drawn from a level near the upper surface of the glass in the container. The glass entering the wellis thus practically free from contamination or foreign substances extracted from the refractory walls of the furnace or container. The upper surface .or rim of the well is inclined or so arranged that the inflow of glass thereto is promoted from the side sections and particularl from the glass in the closed end of the cot. Also the thickness of the walls of the well and their surface area and angular exposure beneath the glass flow as they are positioned relative thereto and as-they are related to the duo maximum and minimum/degrees of heat contained and the glass mobility retained'at the opened or the closed end of the boot,

are causative-to beget and maintain the same fluidity, the glass at all points along the inner periphery of the well, this being conducive 'to symmetry of shape, uniform surface viscosity, like consistency and temperature conditions in the issuin glass.

Other features' o the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure .1

in accordance with tion of the same."

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view. Figures successive steps in the formation of charges. sive steps in a cycle ofthe plunger movements during the formation of a 'gob.. Figis a sectional side elevationof an apparatus constructed -my invention.

Figure 2 is a part sectional front elevav .4 to 10 are diagrammatic views illustrating Figures 4 to 7- illustrate succes-.

volume movement, and pressure of ion 7 around the rim of the well.

ures 8 to 10 illustrate successive steps with a different adjustment of the plunger, resulting in'adifl'erent form of gob.

Molten glass 12 may be continuously supplied from the furnace 13 to the container 14 which may be the usual furnace boot or extension. -Within the receptacle 14 is a clay bushing or member 15 which is fitted in an opening. in the floor of the boot. Beneath the member 15 is a clay bushing or ring 16 forming a support for the member 15, the bushing 16 being held in position by a metal supporting ring 17. A cylindricz ll' opening 18 extends through the parts 15, 16, so that there is provided a well into which the glass flows fronrthe boot, the glass being discharged through the lower open end of the well. The upper portion of the well is formed with upwardly and outwardly inclined or flared walls 19 terminating at the upper surface or rim 20. Theplane' of the rim 20 is downwardly and forwardly inclined so that the front'portion of the rim is somewhat lower than the rear portion. The purpose of this arrangementis to counteract or neutralize the tendency of the glass to enter the well mainly at the rear side, that is, the side nearest the furnace. By having the front edge of the well lower than the rear edge, the proportion of the glass which flows through the side channels I 22 (Fig. 3) between the walls of the boot and the member 15 to the front of the well, is increased, so that the inflow of glass into the well is substantially equally distributed well on the side nearest the furnace being thicker than at the side of the well remote from the furnace, ermits a relatively small amount of heat to be conducted through the thick wall, thus'tending to equalize the temperature of the inner surface wall of the well.

A further means of equalizing and directing the flow comprises an adjustable wall or gate 23 which extends downward through an opening in the cover plate 24 of the boot and projects downward into the glass behind -the well, and thus forms an obstruction rear portion of the well from excessive heat, mg.

The discharge of glass from the well ,18 is regulated and controlled by a cylindrical plunger or regulating plug 27 which the glass in The wall of the the plunger most position toward the cover plate 24 and into the well 18. The V diameter of the plunger is substantially less than that of the well to permit the plunger to work freely up and down through the well, but large enough to effectively control the issuing glass. The lower end of the plunger is preferably square or concave,'as shown in Figure 1, which shape is better adapted for imparting to the gob of. glass the particular conformation herein shown, thanthe usual tapered or pointed plunger.

The plunger is periodically reciprocated vertically by an operating cam 30 secured to a shaft 31 which is driven continuously by a sprocket wheel and chain 32. The .cam 30 actuates a lever 33 fulerumed at 34 on a stationary bracket 35. The'forward end' of the lever is-connected through a link 36 to the stem 37 of the plunger, said stem being guided in a stationary bearing'sleeve. 38. The lever 35 may he made in sections connected by a pivot 39. Said sections are relatively adjustable about the pivot 39 by means of a hand operated adjusting rod 40 connected through a universal joint 41 to a rod 42 having a screw with one section of the lever and a pivotal connection 43 with the other section. By rotating the hand rod 40, the plunger may be adjusted up or down. Apair of cutter blades 44; are periodically operated in synchronism with the movements of the plunger to sever the suspended gobs 45..

The operation of the plunger in controlling the formation of a gob will be understood by reference to Figures 4 to 7 which threaded connection illustrate successive steps in the formation exerts an ex elling force on the glass, thereby augmenting the action of gravity on the glass. This expelling force is increased and becomes more positive as the lower end of enters the cylindrical portion of the well. This positive expelling action continues until the plunger is at its lower about as shown in Figure 5, or at a lower point, zitwhich time sufficient glass has been extruded to form the complete gob which is suspended from the walls of the outlet orifice. The plunger commences its upward movement from itslowermost position 6, preferably before the cutters operate'to grip the exterior of the glass discharge and to sever the gob. This upward movement causes a restriction or neck ing-in of theglass at about the plane of the cutters which operate with a' suitably coordinated speed and movement to. grip 1n on the glass and to progressively reduce its cross section and give 'a downward taper to the previously necked-in section toward the gripping point about the time. the plunger reaches the Figure .6 position, that is, just afterit has commenced its upward movement. The gripping-in movement of the cutters may be caused to terminate fora fleeting instant after their edges have enetrated a suitable distance towards the center of the glass discharge-and prior to the completed severance of the gob, as the upward pull or suction of the plunger. on the glass above the plane of operation of the cutters attains its maximum power, to thereby. limit the retractive stretchingand' at- ,tenuating action on the previously expelled glass to that portion thereof which is above the cutting plane and to thereb. also give a finer point and a more neck-1i e taper to the lower end of each succeedinggob. As the plunger continues to move upward after the glass has been severed, it exerts a retractive pull on the glass which is most effective adjacent the walls of the well, cans-- ing the glass to be drawn u ward at 46, leaving a more or less ointe jccting tip of glass 4 which forms the lower end of the next succeeding gob. After the plunger has reached its uppermost posicycle of operations re res 8 to 10 ilustrate asomewhat.

' thereby suitably reduce a swift cutting action as it is arrested duction of a more extended or narrow or more stem-like taper on the lump of glass, or the formation of a long tapering mold charge, consists in moving t e s ears or cutting means tance toward some predetermined point while they are partly 0 en, and gripplng a section of the glass, and to follow this downward movement by at any predetermined point, thereby imparting considerable stretching to the glass be-- low the opening 18 as it issimultaneou'sly acted upon. by the j elevating plunger and the descending gripping means, or cutters,

Other. means than the shears or cutting means might be employed for efiecting the stretching and taperin of the glass in the manner above described.

central pro wvard from the plane, closer to the downwardly fora longer dis-' I Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit a'nd'scope of my invention. What I claim i821 1. The' combination of a" container for molten glass, an annular member projecting upward from the floor of the container;

and providing an open bottomed well through-which glass is discharged from the of molten 1 glass within the container with the level of the glass above the upper surface of said member, a plunger pro ecting downward into the well, and means to pe vriodically reciprocate the plunger upand down.

2. A container-for molten glass having an container, means for maintaining a. supply outlet opening in its bottom, an annular wall surrounding said opening and projecting upward above the floor of the container and forming' a well comprising a cylindrical portion, the nner surface of the wall being upwardly and: outwardly flared above the cylindrical portion, and

means tocause an inflow of'glass over the 1 top of said wall into the well from all sides.

3. The combination with a container for molten glass having an outlet opening in the floor thereof, of an annular member surrounding said 0 ning and projecting upoor 1 of the container, said member providing an 0 n bottomed well through which glass is dischar' d from the container, said member beingc osed except at its top and bottom and ha-vin' surface beneath the surface of the glass in the container and inclined to the horizontal.

4. The combination of a furnace com ris-' ing a boot or extension into which glass ows its upper i from the furnace, said boot having an outlet 7 opening in the bottom thereof, an annular member surrounding said outlet and jecting upward from the floor of the and providing a well into and through which the glassflowsfrom the boot, said member having its upper edge below the level of the glass to permit the entrance of the,glass to the well, said member reventing the entrance of glass to the we 1' except over the, top of saidme'mber, aregulating device projecting downward into the well,

and meansto periodically reciprocate said device.

5. The combinationof a furnace comprising a boot or'extension into which glass flows from the furnace, an annular member projecting upward from the floor of the cot and providing a'well .into and through which the glass flows from the boot, a regulating memberprojecting into the well, and means to periodically reciprocate said member, the uppersurface. or rim of said well beingat a lower -level in front offthei regulator than at the rear thereof. 3 L 6. The combinationof a furnace comprismg a boot or extension into which glass flows from the furnace, an annular member projecting upward from the floor of the boot and providing a well into and through-which the glass flows from the boot, a regulating member projecting into the well, and means to periodically reciprocate said member, the upper surface orrim of said annular member lying in a forwardly and downwardly inclined plane. 7. The combination of a furnace COIIIPI'IS- ing a boot or extension into which glass flows from the furnace, an annular member pro ectIng upward from the floor of the boot and providing a well into and through member being closed except at the top and bottom whereby the glass can only enter the well from the top, a regulating member pro-' jecting into the well, means to periodically a su stantially uniform flow-of glass into the well'from all sides. i

9. The combination of a furnace comprising an extension forming a container'into which molten glass 'flows from the furnace, an annular wallin said container extendin upward above the floor of the container and formin a well into and through which the glass ows, and a refractory member substantially equal in width to the external diameter of said wall, pro'ecting .downward into the glass between sai -well and the furnace and forming a deflector by which a direct flow of glass from the furnace to the adjacent side of the well is obstructed. y

10. The combination of a container for molten glass, an open bottomed well within the container projecting upwardly above the floor of the container, means to supply a flow of glass into the container from one side thereof, and a deflector comprising a block of refractory material projecting downward into the glass between said well and the point at which the glass flows into the container said deflector being of less width than the container and spaced from the side 'walls of the container and operable to divert the flow of glass into the channels or s aces between the well and the side walls of t e container.

11. The combinationof a container for molten glass having anoutlet opening in the bottom thereof, a regulator m the glass above the outlet, means to periodically reciprocate the regulator up and down, a wall surrounding and spaced from the regulator "face of the glass to provide a well, said well being closed except at its top .and bottom whereby the glass is caused to enter the well by flowing-over the top of said walL.

12. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet open-ingin the bottom thereof,- a regulator in the glass above the'outlet, means to eriodicall recip rocatethe regulator up an down, an a wall surrounding-and spaced from the regulator and extending upward fromthe floor of the receptacle and terminating below the surface of the'glass, said .Wall forming a cylindricalwell, the inner surfaces of the wall being upwardly and outwardly'flared at the i upper end of the cylindrical portion',thereby forming a funnel-shaped entrance to the well, said well being closed except at its top andbottoin whereby the glass ls caused to 'entlelr the well by flowing over the .top of said --wa 13'. The combination of a container for molten glass hav ng an outlet opening in the -bottom thereof, a re ulating plunger in the .gla'ssabove the outlet, a wall surrounding I Said outlet and extending upward above the reciprocate said member, and means to cause 14. The combination of a container for molten bottom thereof, a re ulating lunger in the glass above the outlet, :1. wall surrounding said outlet and extending upward above the floor of the containerto form a c lindrical well into which said plunger PIOJGClZS, said well being closed except at its top and botglass having an outlet opening in the lio tom whereby the glass is caused to enter the well by said plunger-comprising a substantially cylindrical body, the lower end of which is the full; diameter of the plun er, and means to periodically reciprocate t e plunger vertically, the lower end of saidplung'er when in its uppermost position being above the cylindrical portion of the well. 4-

The method of giving a downward tapering form to gob mold charges which are discharged in' succession from a supply throughan orifice, which consists 'in peri- -odical y proJecting a mass of molten glass from the orifice, in exerting a retractive pull from the orifice on'each'mass following its projection, in cuttingin toward the center of the projected mass with cutting blades without complete severanceand then checkflowing. over the'top of said wall,

ing the blades during a predetermined period of the retractive. action on the mass to to that ortion of said mass which is above the cutting blades and to thereby taper said portion from the orifice to the point of contact of the cutting blades, and then complet ing the cut to release the rear end of the preceding gob from the pointed forward end of the succeeding one.

16. The comblnation of a container for molten glass having an outlet opening in the bottom thereof, a regulator in the glass above the outlet, means to periodically reciprocate the regulator up and down, a wall surrounding and spaced from the regulator and extendlng upward from the floor of the container and terminating below the surface of the glass to provide a well, said well be ing closed except at its top and at said outlet opening, whereby the glass is caused to enter the well by flowing over the top, and means to supply molten glass to the container localize the effect of said action at one side-of the well, the up er edge of said wall at said side being hig er than at the opposite side.

17. he combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet opening in the bottom thereof, a regulator 1n the glass above the outlet, means to (periodically reciprocate the regulator 11 an down, a wall surrounding and spaced rom the regulator and extending upward from the floor of the container and terminating below the surface of the glass to provide a well said well being closed except at its top and at said outlet 0 ening, whereby the glass is caused to enter t e we 1 by flowing over the top, and means to supply molten lass to the container at one side of the wel the upper edge of said wall being in a plane inclined downwardly away from said side.

Si ned at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and tate of Ohio, this 24th1day of January, 1924.

ENOCH T. FERNGREN. 

